Ezabangoma

14/11/2025

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14/11/2025

GBVF is a National Pandemic in South Africa:

No International event, including the G20 or any other diplomatic engagement, should ever be used as an excuse to downplay, silence, or postpone the fight for justice and the protection of women and children.

​The statistics from South Africa paint a picture of a crisis that is significantly worse than the already alarming global average:

​South Africa's GBVF National Crisis:
​The high prevalence of violence, especially within domestic settings, demonstrates that the fear and danger for women and children is a daily reality that cannot be ignored for the sake of public relations.

​1. Femicide:
A Hyper-Endemic Problem
​Massively Higher than Global Average: South Africa has one of the world's highest femicide rates.
In 2022, the country's femicide rate was reported to be 12.2 per 100,000 women, which is about six times higher than the global average of roughly 2.2 per 100,000.

​Daily Murders:
Latest crime statistics show that between July and September 2024, 957 women were murdered in South Africa, translating to approximately 10 women murdered every day.

​The Home is Not Safe:
Of the women murdered in that three-month period, 106 were instances of domestic violence, and many other related crimes occurred in domestic settings, highlighting the extreme danger in what should be the safest place.

​2. Violence Against Women and Children.
​Lifetime Physical Violence: One-third (33.1%) of South African women over the age of 18 have experienced physical violence in their lifetime.

​Rape and Sexual Violence: 10,191 r**es were reported between July and September 2024 alone. It is widely estimated that the vast majority of r**e cases go unreported, meaning the true scale is even more devastating.

​In the same period, 315 children were murdered, 490 children survived attempted murders, and 1,944 children were victims of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

​Vulnerable Groups:
Women with disabilities are disproportionately affected, reporting higher rates of physical, sexual, and economic abuse compared to women without disabilities.

​3. The Unwavering Call for Action
​The gravity of these numbers reinforces the critical need for an unflinching, visible commitment to ending GBVF:

​A Non-Negotiable Priority: GBVF is a human rights catastrophe. It is a fundamental betrayal of South Africa's constitutional order and cannot be relegated to a background issue.

​Diplomatic Image vs.
Human Life:
Any suggestion to "stay quiet" to avoid "embarrassing visitors" is a deeply concerning prioritisation of temporary image over the permanent trauma, death, and destruction caused by GBVF. The true embarrassment is the sustained high rate of violence against the most vulnerable.

​Accountability:
The national response should be consistent, fully funded (including the National Strategic Plan on GBVF), and must enforce swift and decisive accountability for perpetrators and for public officials who fail to act.

​The fight against GBVF in South Africa—and globally—is continuous. It must be amplified, not muted, during high-profile international events like the G20, which provide a critical platform to hold leaders to account.
Dr Leonora Alberts Vilakazi

Reference:

13/11/2025

05/11/2025

🌿🙌🏽💞

05/11/2025

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The time is upon us again where we gather for our Monthly Forum meeting. The focus is on 𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆. We will also have a profile on Marange Career Information Centre. Hope to see you there!
Register: https://forms.gle/MGxkKQjDcdQTJSiv7
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6523530295...

04/11/2025

The Insidious Roots of Gender-Based Violence:
A Call for Equity and Positive Masculinity.

​The World Health Organization's definition of violence—the intentional use of force or power resulting in injury, death, or psychological harm—lays a stark foundation for understanding its most pervasive and systemic manifestation:

Gender-Based Violence: (GBV). GBVF is not a random act; it is violence specifically directed at an individual based on their gender, making it a direct consequence of deep-seated societal imbalance.

​Moving from Equality to Equity:
​The initial goal in addressing gender injustice was equality: treating all genders the same.

However, the reality of patriarchy and entrenched social norms means that historical and systemic disadvantages prevent a "level playing field." This is where equity becomes the crucial process for change.
​Equity is about fairness. It recognizes that different people start from different places and may require specific, tailored resources and support to reach the same positive outcome. To genuinely dismantle the structures that breed GBV, we must move beyond simply offering the same opportunities and focus on redressing power imbalances. This requires actively challenging the rigid gender roles and gender stereotypes that have historically favored men, ensuring those who are marginalized have the necessary support to thrive without fear of violence or deprivation.

​The Power of Positive Masculinity:
​The structures that create GBV, such as the rigid power dynamics and bigotry of patriarchy, do not just harm women and marginalized genders; they also constrain men.

They promote a narrow, often toxic form of masculinity built on dominance, emotional suppression, and aggression. This "dominant masculinity" is a primary driver of violence.

​To break the cycle, we must champion positive masculinity. This is a movement that encourages men and boys to reject the harmful notion that manhood equates to control or violence. Instead, it defines strength through empathy, accountability, respect, and vulnerability.

​Men have a responsibility to be not just non-perpetrators, but active allies in the fight against GBV. By modeling this positive masculinity—by intervening when they witness sexism, sharing care responsibilities, and expressing emotions authentically—men dismantle the very power structures and rigid norms that perpetuate violence.

They stop being defined by the problem and become an essential part of the solution, ultimately creating a safer, more equitable, and emotionally healthier world for everyone.
Dr Leonora Alberts Vilakazi

04/11/2025

With Sebokeng Hospital – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

03/11/2025

Disability Rights Awareness Month:
Championing Humanity and Human Rights Against Violence:

​Today, November 3rd, marks the commencement of Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) in South Africa, a critical campaign running until December 3rd.

This month is a non-negotiable call to action, demanding that we move beyond simple awareness to actively guarantee the dignity, autonomy, and fundamental human rights of every person with a disability.
The fight for disability rights is intrinsically linked to humanity itself, insisting that disability is a matter of societal construction—the presence of barriers—rather than individual limitation.
​
The Urgent Crisis of GBVF and Spiritual Abuse:
​The recognition and enforcement of disability rights are vitally important because people with disabilities, particularly women and girls, face an intersecting set of vulnerabilities that places them at a significantly higher risk of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), r**e, and spiritual abuse.
This vulnerability stems from dependency on caregivers, isolation, and communication barriers, which abusers exploit.

​Compounded Violence:
GBVF against persons with disabilities often includes disability-related abuse, such as the withholding of medication or assistive devices, which is a severe form of exploitation.

Survivors face devastating psychological trauma and increased social isolation, while navigating an inaccessible justice system that often fails to hold perpetrators accountable.

​Challenging Spiritual Abuse:
Disability rights uphold the right to dignity against practices where disability is falsely labelled a "curse" or "sin." These rights empower individuals to resist manipulation and demand ethical, non-judgemental treatment from all institutions, including faith-based ones.

​A Collective Responsibility for Inclusion and Protection
​Achieving a truly inclusive and safe South Africa requires a coordinated national effort from all key sectors during DRAM and throughout the year:

​Government:
Should by all means fulfil its primary duty to enact and enforce disability-inclusive legislation (like the proposed Disability Rights Bill), ensure accessible public infrastructure and services, and drive the mainstreaming of disability rights across all departments.

NGOs:
Form the backbone of advocacy and support, providing essential direct services, running accessible programmes, and acting as a critical oversight voice that demands accountability and offers specialized support to survivors of abuse.

​Interfaith Communities:
Should by all means actively challenge stigma and discrimination within their own ranks and in society. They have a moral duty to ensure their spaces are accessible and their teachings affirm the inherent worth of persons with disabilities, opposing any form of spiritual exploitation.

​DRAM is the time for this tripartite alliance to intensify its focus on dismantling the structural and social barriers that perpetuate violence, ensuring all persons with disabilities can exercise their rights to safety, equality.
Dr Leonora Alberts Vilakazi